Folding gate



J. A. EBERLE FOLDING GATE Feb. z2, .1927. Lmszg Filed April 5, 1924 /m/fnra@ Juf/H A. farmi 5y @afa/V m A rra/WYE Y;

Patente Feb. 22, i927..

JOHN A. annata, on

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FOLDING GATE.

Application led .April 5,

This invention relates generally to folding gates, and particularly to a folding gate of the type ordinarily located at the top of a staircase to prevent children from falling down said staircase. Prior to this invention many gates for the purpose mentioned were produced which were composed of a plurality. of bars pivoted together inl a manner to provide a structure. resembling lazy tongs. It was found that while a gate so constructed produced an ideal gate for the purpose, still it was not generally adopted for the reason that it lacked the required rigid-ity and durabilityV to withstand the usage to which it was subjected.

The purpose of the present invention is to produce a folding gate of the lazy tong type jwhich is provided with. reinforcing elements whereby said gate is supplied with the required rigidity and durability. Another object ofv my invention is to provide a gate` ofthe type described with a simple means for locking said gate in an extended position, which locking means is so arranged that it may not 'be released by a child.

yVVith'the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention comprises the ynovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention.V kIlrowevenit is to be understood that. the. invention com-v "prehends changes, variations and modifica.-

tions which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Fig. I is a side-elevation of a gate made in accordancey with my invention, as said gate will appear when it is in use.

`Fig. II is'a'cross section on line II-II of Fig. I. Y

Fig. III is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the improved locking device of my improved gate.

Fig. IV is an enlarged cross section showing the manner in which the spring snap of the locking device is secured in place.

' In the drawing, A 'designates my improved gate, lwhich in Figs. I and II is arranged in an opening between. the members B, said members B being parts of a door frame, or uprights on a porch, or similar members which may be arranged adjaf cent to a staircase. The gate A comprises a pair of vertical bars 1 which are arranged in close proximity to each other and are 1924. Serial No. 704,518. Y

located adjacent to one of the members B, said bars 1 being hingedly secured to said member' B by means of hinges '2. Pivotally secured between the vertical bars 1 is a plurality of comparatively-short members 3. t; designatesa pair of vertical bars which are located adjacent to the memberV B which is vdisposed oppositely to the member 'B adjacent to which the vertical bars 1 are arranged, said bars 4 also being arranged in close proximity to each other. yThe bars 1 are'p'rovided with apair ofmembers 5 which are pivotally securedfbetween saidy bars 4 and are similar to the pivoted members 3 associated with the bars 1.

Interposed between the vertical bars 1 and 1 is a plurality of bars 6 which are arranged as shown in Fig. I and are pivoted together in a manner to produce a lazy tong structure. Certain of the bars 6 are pivotally securedv to the pivoted members 3 and 5, and because said members 3 and 5 are in Aturn pivoted to the vertical bars 1 and L1 Vsaid gate will' be groupedin close proximity to each other adjacent to the vertical bars 1. It is also apparent that because of the hinges 2 the gate illustrated in Fig. I maybe swung open in an unfolded condition.

The folding gate thus far described, as

' has already been stated, has been used heretofore, but said gate did noti have suflicient rigidity to withstand the usage to which it was subjected. To overcome this deficiency I have devised a reinforcing means which willnow be described.

V7 designates a pair of reinforcing members which are pivoted to the lazy tong portion of the gate at points indicated by the reference character 8. Each of the reinforcing members 7 comprises a pair of bars which are arranged at opposite sides ofthe gate and are connected together intermediate of their endsv by means of a comparatively short connecting bar 9. The bars composing each individual reinforcing member 7 are pivoted to the gate, as stated, at the points yindicated by the reference character 8, and ,the `opposite endsot said bars are offset to provide said' reinforcing member` With a bifurcated end portion (Fig. ll).4

`folded position. VVlt is apparent Vvirom 'the' foregoing that `the ypivoted bars Gk making up the `lazy tongstructure ot the gate are `confined between f the oppositely Adisposed bars of :tl'ie'individual reinforcing members,

rand for this reason vsaid lazy tong lstructure of'saidxgate Will not be `permitted to bulge :inwardly orfoutwardly, as would be 4,the if thereinforcing members were not present,

vand as a result thev gate is given-'much @more Y rigidityiand durabilitythan itv would vpossess viin theabsenee of thereintorcin'g members.

YWhile the drawing shows a gate provided with but a single pair -oli reinforcing inemf fbers,-itis apparent that it a very Widegate Wereproducedit Would be necessary to provide said gate with a plurality of? reinforcing members,A as'it is not desirable to provide Va gate with reinforcing `members of siicli length'that they Would -extend vbeyond the 'top'ofthe gate when said `gate is in a folded position. `i

Tosecure my improved `folding gate in an extended Aposition across the top ot a stair ease l fprovide :one of the members B with :an elongated .strap '11. is 1secured at its Yupper and lower ends to the member B with which it is associated, .and'isaid strap is provided with a portion 12 which `extends outwardly trom said memiber B; Arranged vbetween the'portion 120iA ftheistrap lland the 'face ot the member. B isa complete ring 13, said ring being passed through said space between said member VB fand said portion 12 of the :strap in `such manner that it ,may lbe Vmoved vertically :relative to said `strap 'but vmay not rbe re-V fmo'ved therefrom. The ringv 13 is of such vdiameter 'that yit may be passed downwardly from l.the upper end of the lvertical 'bars f1, as 4shoivnin '.Fig. l, and when said ring is in such positionit'is Vplain that the gateinay not be folded or swungon its liingesQ. To fprevent the .ring 13 from beingraisedfby a 'c'hild, I `provide a spring snap le comprising arsectionvof'spring Wire, the upper end fof which is passed around a pin 15 which' vis-locatetl between the associated vertical bai-s 4 (Fig. Hl). f The section foitspring `Wire comprising ajspring-.snap 141 is inteivposed between the associated barsy andis provided `Witlifa lower portion .14', which isfso locatedrelative to 'the bars 'fjthat it is .arranged immediately above the ring V13 -whenr said f'ring fis surrounding the bars 4 to hin-drance from ksaid tongues.

The strap 11 i tion.

retain the' gate in anextendedposition, and

said. portion le. extends outwardly from not be raised `when -said spring snap is in its extended' position. to raise the ring 13 to remove it from the bars lthe spring snap 14 is depressed until itl assumes the-position inrwhich it is shown by dotted lines in Fig. Ill, in which position .the ring 13 may be freelyfraisednvithout Vsaid Vspring snap. 'loo'giive When it is desired lie spring snap lethe required rigidity I Y.

i'orm la plurality of tongues 16 :in the eppositeiy disposed bars Llbetween which said Vspring Vsnap is arranged. "The ftongues '16 are bent inwardly, :asshown in Figfly,*to4

positions Where they contacti'ivitlilthe spring snap whereby said spring snap `isicoiifined between said tongues bandas .preventedffroin moving at the l' claim: p 1. A folding .gatefcoinpris'ing diagonally arranged members veach of `which extends point Where it is` .engaged',:byY

tong structure, and -rein-toi-eing ane ans com- Y prising a plurality of :members arranged 'transversely of saidA diagonally v.arranged l pivoted 'members, said reinforcizn'g members -being pivoted together `and 'pivotedto said diagonally arranged members, each :reinforcing member comprising `a "pair, rolf fspaced apart bars betiveenivhicli vsaid .diagonally arranged members pass. i

2. A folding gate comprising .diagonally arranged barsV pivoted "together nto "produce a lazy tongstructure, and-'reinforcing means vcomprising a pairL of' members arranged transversely 4-offsaid .diagonally .farranged pivated bars, said yreinforcingmeinb'ers being pivoted together and pivoted to fsaid-idiag'-V onally arranged bars` each `:reinforcing mein? ber comprising a lpair 'of spaee'dfa'part :bars

betweenivhioh said 'diagonally arrangedbars pass, and means coiinecting `I'said .spaced apart bars'togethei". 1 Y Y 3. Ai'oldinggatecoinprising .a plurality ot members pivoted to each otherandfadaptedf to beltolded together, aslotted lmember at an yend ofthe structureproduced'by said pivoted members, and means 'Ifor :retaining said folding gaterin an "extended position, d means comprising a strap `secured :to Va stationary element adjacent .to .said d'olding gate, and a loopedmember associated fwitli said strap, said looped member being adaptu e ed to surround the'iipper portions 'of said slotted member which is arranged at anfend o the `tol dable portion of ith'eigatef'structure,

VYand' means comprising -a spring snapi'tor said looped member in such posin retaining ofmembers pivoted to each. other and adapted to be folded together, a member at an end of the structure produced by said pivoted members, and means for retaining said folding gate in an extended position, said means comprising a strap secured `to a stationary element adjacent to said folding gate, and a looped member associated with said strap, said looped member beingV adapted to surround the upper portion of said member which is arranged at an end of the foldable portion of the gate structure, means comprising a spring snap for retaining said looped member in such position, and tongues formed integral With the member which supports said spring snap Whereby said snap is retained in its proper position.

^ 5. A folding gate comprising diagonally arranged bars pivoted together to produce a lazy tong structure` reinforcing`- means comprising a pair of members arranged transversely of said diagonally arranged pivoted bars, said reinforcing members being` pivoted together and pivoted to said diagonally arranged bars, each reinforcing member comprising a pair of spaced apart bars between which said diagonally arranged bars pass, a vertical slotted bar at an end of the lazy tong portion of said gate, a strap secured to a stationary element adjacent to said gate, a ring associated with said strap, said ring being adapted to surround the upper portion of said Vertical slotted bar, and means comprising a spring snap whereby 'sa-id ring is retained in such position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto aliX my signature.

JOHN A. EBERLE. 

